::''See also: [[Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Arkansas#Process to establish a political party]]''

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In [[Arkansas]], the process to establish a political party is tied to the votes cast in a presidential or gubernatorial election. In order to initially put candidates on the ballot, political parties must submit a petition with 10,000 signatures. Then, in order to maintain that status beyond the election year in which they submit such a petition, their candidate for governor or president must receive at least three percent of the votes cast for that office.<ref>[http://felonvoting.procon.org/sourcefiles/Arkansas_Voting_Code.pdf ''Arkansas Code'', "Title 7, Section 1-101-21," accessed December 3, 2013]</ref><ref name=hb2036>[ftp://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/acts/2013/Public/ACT1356.pdf ''Arkansas House Bill 2036'', "An Act To Amend the Law Concerning Certain Procedural Dates In Election; To Amend the Law Concerning Certain Petitions; And For Other Purposes," Approved April 18, 2013]</ref>

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In 2012, both the [[Libertarian Party|Libertarian]] and [[Green Party|Green]] parties of Arkansas qualified to put candidates on the ballot, but then their candidates did not receive enough votes for the parties to maintain their ballot status. In the fall of 2013, both parties submitted new petitions and were qualified to put candidates on the 2014 ballot.<ref>[http://lpar.org/about-the-lpar/history-of-the-arkansas-libertarian-party/ ''Libertarian Party of Arkansas Website'', "History of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas," accessed December 5, 2013]</ref><ref>[http://www.greenpartyofarkansas.org/candidates/ballot-access/ ''Green Party of Arkansas Website'', "Ballot Access," accessed December 5, 2013]</ref><ref>[http://www.arktimes.com/media/pdf/jenkins-11062013.pdf ''Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin'', "New Political Party Petition--Green Party," November 6, 2013]</ref> In order to maintain their status as political parties without needing to petition for the 2016 elections, their candidates for [[Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2014|governor]] must receive at least three percent of the vote.<ref>[http://ualrpublicradio.org/post/poll-ross-hutchinson-virtual-dead-heat-governor-s-race ''UALR Public Radio'', "Poll: Ross, Hutchinson In Virtual Dead Heat In Governor’s Race," April 6, 2014]</ref>

==Race background==

==Race background==

A March 2013 report released by ''Governing'' named Arkansas' attorney general seat as "vulnerable" to partisan switch heading into the 2014 elections. The rating arose from concerns that [[Democratic]] incumbent [[Dustin McDaniel]]'s recent personal issues -- he was forced to end his long-anticipated gubernatorial plans after being exposed twice for philandering -- has sufficiently alienated voters against McDaniel, toward electing a [[Republican]] attorney general the next election.<ref>[http://www.governing.com/blogs/politics/gov-handicapping-attorneys-general-2013-2014-whos-vulnerable.html ''Governing,'' "The 2013-2014 Attorneys General Races: Who's Vulnerable?," March 25, 2013]</ref>

A March 2013 report released by ''Governing'' named Arkansas' attorney general seat as "vulnerable" to partisan switch heading into the 2014 elections. The rating arose from concerns that [[Democratic]] incumbent [[Dustin McDaniel]]'s recent personal issues -- he was forced to end his long-anticipated gubernatorial plans after being exposed twice for philandering -- has sufficiently alienated voters against McDaniel, toward electing a [[Republican]] attorney general the next election.<ref>[http://www.governing.com/blogs/politics/gov-handicapping-attorneys-general-2013-2014-whos-vulnerable.html ''Governing,'' "The 2013-2014 Attorneys General Races: Who's Vulnerable?," March 25, 2013]</ref>

Lost in the primary

Ballot access for political parties

In Arkansas, the process to establish a political party is tied to the votes cast in a presidential or gubernatorial election. In order to initially put candidates on the ballot, political parties must submit a petition with 10,000 signatures. Then, in order to maintain that status beyond the election year in which they submit such a petition, their candidate for governor or president must receive at least three percent of the votes cast for that office.[10][11]

In 2012, both the Libertarian and Green parties of Arkansas qualified to put candidates on the ballot, but then their candidates did not receive enough votes for the parties to maintain their ballot status. In the fall of 2013, both parties submitted new petitions and were qualified to put candidates on the 2014 ballot.[12][13][14] In order to maintain their status as political parties without needing to petition for the 2016 elections, their candidates for governor must receive at least three percent of the vote.[15]

Race background

A March 2013 report released by Governing named Arkansas' attorney general seat as "vulnerable" to partisan switch heading into the 2014 elections. The rating arose from concerns that Democratic incumbent Dustin McDaniel's recent personal issues -- he was forced to end his long-anticipated gubernatorial plans after being exposed twice for philandering -- has sufficiently alienated voters against McDaniel, toward electing a Republican attorney general the next election.[16]